Foothill Transit wants out of TAP system

by Brian Watt

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Great idea. Not so great execution. That seems to be the rap on L.A. County’s Transit Access Pass – the TAP card. It’s designed to allow public transit passengers throughout the county to board trains or buses on different systems with one fare card. But the Foothill Transit agency decided today it wants out of the TAP system for now. KPCC’s Brian Watt reports.

Brian Watt: Foothill Transit finished installing the TAP fare boxes on its buses five months ago. Since then, it’s been a rough ride.

Felicia Friesema: There have been a number of things that have caused us to either have delays in schedules because of the TAP system, or to have customer service problems.

Watt: Agency spokeswoman Felicia Friesema says the TAP card has forced Foothill to change the way passengers board its popular Silver Streak bus line, and to change the way it honors transfers from other agencies. So Foothill is tapped out. Its executive board has directed staff to replace the TAP operating system, but to leave the fare boxes in place, so Foothill can rejoin TAP when it improves.

Friesema: We want it to work. We want it to be a truly regional system. It’s not there yet.